Work

The Link between Digital Disconnection and Death Anxiety: a Preliminary Study

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: This study considered whether being ‘digitally disconnected’ would provoke death anxiety amongst a small group of smartphone users. 37 undergraduate students completed an online survey and then took part in controlled experiments assessing their death thought accessibility, shyness and sociability in relation to a connected versus disconnected state. Results showed that death thoughts increased with disconnection when the smartphone’s importance to self-esteem was taken into account. Shyness increased with digital disconnection but sociability was unaffected. The implications of how this reframes our understanding of smartphone dependency are discussed.

Source: University of Brighton Repository (University of Brighton)

Author: Dave Harley

Language: English

Topic: Impact of Technology on Adolescents

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W3103436563

FWCI: 0.44

Cites: 12

Cited by: 2

Related to: 10